A boy digs for water in a dry riverbed in Kenya. Many parts of the country have experienced severe drought for the last year. Photo by Jake Lyell

ChildFund works with local organizations and governments to save lives in emergencies and reduce future disaster risks. Your gift will go directly toward our emergency work, present and future, so that when crises erupt, we're ready to spring into action.

We are currently raising funds to support the following emergencies:

Children and families in the Lusaka District of Zambia are living at risk of being infected by cholera. Since the beginning of this deadly outbreak, thousands of people have been affected and 70 people have died — and the disease continues to spread. Cholera is extremely dangerous — if you contract the disease, you can die in a matter of hours.

We need your support to continue working to help children and families who get sick, and to help stop the disease from spreading further. Your gift today will help us send materials and health professionals to respond to the outbreak.

A mother and son near their home in drought-stricken Marsabit County, Kenya

Millions of people in East Africa continue to suffer in the ongoing food crisis driven by nearly three years of drought. Although some rain has recently fallen in the region, it was late and irregular. The outlook for the next harvest is once again grim, and livestock losses continue. Over eight million people in Ethiopia and Kenya still require immediate emergency food assistance, and the youngest children as well as pregnant or lactating mothers are especially at risk for malnutrition. Much of the region is projected to remain in crisis until at least September 2017.

One way that people are coping in this primarily pastoralist region is by migrating in search of grazing land and water. This is particularly hard on children, because it not only causes many of them to leave school, but it also puts them at greater risk for family separation, violence and child labor.

ChildFund’s emergency response strategy aims to increase access to food and water for affected communities and to help families cope in ways that protect their children’s well-being. We continue to coordinate with governments and other organizations to tailor interventions to each country’s needs.

East Africa still has a long, difficult journey ahead. When you GIVE TODAY, your contribution will be combined with other donations to support strong efforts in both countries.